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PROS

CONS

VERDICT

Red Star is a decent adaption of a great beat'em up title that pushes the limits of the current generation iDevices and seriously tests your hardcore gaming skills.

Full Review

App Store Info

The Red Star, for those who follow comics, is a series set in an alternate-universe post-World War II Russia that mixes technology and magic together. A game for the PS2 was developed and released in 2007 and after XS Games' recent adaption of the title to the PSP, iPhone users are now also able to experience this intricate beat'em up on the go.

A few concessions had to be made to ensure that Red Star was playable in the same way for the iPhone and the first thing most players will notice is its crowded control layout. Buttons are available for players to attack with melee, ranged and special abilities or block as required. Double-tapping will allow players to 'lock on' to enemies to assist with ranged firing or initiate special combos.

Players are thrown in to the thick of it as soon as they start and it's easy to be distracted by the game's luscious 3D visuals. Sadly the performance even on a 3GS is noticeably slowed down even before players engage in boss-fights that beautifully combine beat'em up gameplay with bullet-hell style sequences. This could be forgivable if it wasn't for the obvious lack of convenient checkpoints that require players to restart lengthy sections when they die.

Despite its hefty flaws, Red Star is definitely a title for the hardcore gamers on the App Store as their perseverance is rewarded with challenging and complex gameplay. A great title, but definitely not for everyone.

Description

“Beautiful and elegantly executed… Red Star is among the finest beat ‘em up games on the iPhone. 4 out of 4 (Must Have)”
-Slide to Play (http://www.slidetoplay.com)

“This is a great action title offering an intense mix of fighting, shooting and adventure. 4/5 Stars”
-TouchGen (http://www.touchgen.com)

The cult classic The Red Star finally comes to iPhone / iPod touch! If you missed it on PlayStation2 or PSP, here is your
chance to experience the unforgettable combination of intense brawler action and mesmerizing gunplay that made it one of the most critically acclaimed games of its era. Proudly old school and relentless entertaining, this is a FULL game for
only $4.99!

Based on the rich lore of Christian Gossett’s celebrated graphic novel of the same name, The Red Star takes place in a
war-torn, technologically advanced land known as the United Republics of the Red Star (URRS), a place reminiscent of Soviet era Russia. In this world, the URRS maintains control over their people through forceful use of their technologically advanced army, an army made even more powerful by the use of sorcerers, soldiers trained to wage war through the use of mystical powers. However, the URRS’s power is not confined merely to military strength. The nation holds a dark secret about how it actually maintains its might, that when revealed by The Red Star’s main characters leaves them no choice but to fight the URRS head on.

People can play through The Red Star’s complex universe as one of three characters pulled directly from the graphic novel.
Initially, players can choose to play as either Kyuzo, a highly-trained soldier of unequaled power, or Makita, a swift and
lethal freedom fighter. Later on, players have the opportunity to unlock and play as Maya Antares, one of the URRS’s most
skilled sorceresses.